Laments of a Dragon
by SoyaCat
Summary: Shyvana is a part of the Demacian Elite Guard and is a proud half dragon, but when somebody from the far reaches of Shurima accuses her of destroying their village because she has dragon blood, she is furious. However, with her name tainted in Demacia now, she can do little but to go to Shurima to clear it.
1. Chapter 1

**Rated T for Violence** read at your own discretion

Chapter 1

The sky was scraped with red and oranges, with the dark purples of the night chasing away the last minutes of the day. With the last of the light, the pillars of the Hall of Vigilance, in Demacia, shown proudly. With pockets of chatter here and there, the last of the council was starting to head to their homes. It had been a day, of sorts.

Demacia had won its match against Noxus today on the fields of justice. New Summoners had been recruited and new trainers had been assigned to them. The harvest was coming in nicely as the last of the winter shipments were being sent to the northern cities of Valoran. Winter was fast approaching for them and Demacia would do what they could to help. After all, they were a shining beacon for all to follow.

However, in the distance was a woman who stood with perfect posture, her disinterested eyes looking out to the ocean, observing the last of the leaving ships. She was rather impossible to miss with her grey skin and her cruel looking horns that protruded the sides of her head. But she stood so still that if anybody walked by, they would have noted a statue instead of a person.

She watched the ocean waves crash over and over onto the sand and snarled up at the calling gulls that flew over her. The moisture in the wind was impossible to miss and just smelling the air she could tell that there was a massing storm coming soon.

The thought made her frown.

"Milady, Shyvana!"

She heard the running footsteps of a courier and when she turned he was in front of her, his hands on his knees, panting. Clearly, he had been trying to find her for a while. But she didn't answer and instead she only looked at him, waiting for whatever news was so urgent that he had to run to find her.

"My apologies, milady," he panted. "But Prince Jarvan has requested a meeting in the war room."

She looked back onto the ocean and watched the last of the sun disappear behind the sea. Now? If she was correct then he would have only finished his battle now. Surely he needed to rest instead of calling a meeting.

"Milady?" The runner was anxious; she could hear it in his voice. .

"What is this about, did he tell you?"

He shook his head. "No, Milady, he just wanted to summon a meeting."

"Thank you." With that she turned and headed towards the war room, walking past the runner and ignoring his request to escort her there.

It didn't take her long to reach the room. It was a door behind the empty throne, down the stairs and to the left. At the center of the room was a large ringed table with another small, circular table in the middle of it with map of Valoran.

The others who had been asked to the meeting were also there, sitting on the outer ring, chatting when she walked in.

She noted the noble houses at the table. First, the Crownguards who sat on one side of the while the Laurent duelist sat on the other, shining her blade. Xin Zhao was leaned back on his chair beside Fiora with his eyes closed. And then noted their new addition: Quinn chuckling with her bird. But there was no Jarvan.

Late, Shyvana thought with a frown, as per usual. He always had a bad tendency to be late.

"Did you happen to see the Prince while you were coming here?" Fiora asked, pausing her actions to look up at her. The question suggested other things but nothing cruel, Shyvana could see the teasing gleam in the duelist's eyes.

Shyvana answered with a slight scowl, "that was two years ago."

"What was two years ago?" The duelist gave an innocent, curious smile.

Quinn who sat close to the Crownguard Mage perked up with interested and repeated the question with more curiosity that Fiora.

Garen cleared his throat awkwardly while Luxanna giggled. "Oh Quinn, wouldn't _you_ like to know." Valor squawked for an answer but none came, only teasing and sly smiles all around, save for Xin and Garen who seemed to hate court gossip, much to her relief.

The scout was a new arrival to the elite guard so she wouldn't know and Shyvana wanted to leave it like that for as long as she could. It was nothing against them, it was just that they were… new. She wasn't quite sure what to make of them, not yet anyways.

Fiora was a different story, however. She knew exactly what had happened two years ago that had made Garen feel awkward and Luxanna giggle.

She and Jarvan had tried to… court, but later decided that it would just have been better as friends. And for a time she and the Prince were on awkward terms. Before meetings she would make an effort to come earlier as to avoid him, but he had the same idea as well. And in trying to avoid each other they had managed to see each other more often.

It was what made him form the habit of being late, Shyvana had theorized.

The memories of them together were pleasant if not a little awkward. Fiora had always made an effort to help her along with her emotions. She had kept stating that the House Laurent had always been lucky in love because their house always had the lady of love on their side, whatever that meant.

"Funny." Shyvana eyed her and then sat next to the duelist.

Fiora chuckled lightly and then continued to shine her blade leaving Quinn lost as ever. The Scout huffed when nothing more was being said about it and leaned back. Quinn was a nice kid but she still had ways to go if Shyvana was going to consider her or her pesky bird a friend.

"Long time no see," Xin Zhao greeted her in a soft voice and leaned towards her. "How have you been?"

"Nothing I can't handle," Shyvana answered with confidence. "How about you? The league is treating you well, I hope?"

He shook his head and then rubbed his neck with a look of discomfort on his face. "Not too bad. But I'm being summoned a little more than I'm used to but I'm adjusting."

Shyvana could sympathize. The league had implemented a new summoning system for 'new' 'upcoming' summoners who showed promise. They allowed the summoners to try new champions on certain rotations and this week it was Xin Zhaos turn to be tossed about in the arena by rather new summoners.

"Your old bones getting to you, Steward?" She grinned. Xin Zhao barked a laugh and shook his head.

"I definitely hope not. I still have a lot to do," he said as the door behind the table opened revealing Prince Jarvan in full armor. All of them stood, their chairs skidding back with screeches.

Shyvana narrowed her eyes in thought. Her mind racing for a moment before one of his squires came stumbling behind him.

"Sit, thank you for coming. I was late because of a match." He cleared his throat tiredly and sat down while his squire fumbled with the buckles of the armor. "Everybody meet my new squire, Ashton." Jarvan motioned to the boy. Ashton glanced up and gave a small bow.

He was a scrawny looking boy with sticks for arms and legs. He looked no more than eleven and like he was picked from the streets, but Shyvana held her face from forming judgment.

"How is serving the Prince, is he as demanding as his fathers?" Fiora asked with a laugh.

Jarvan snorted and then the boy answered with a stutter that made it almost impossible to understand him, "n-n-no, m-m-ma'a-am." He continued to fumble with the same buckle.

Shyvana could see his shaking hands as he pulled the strap tighter. He seemed to notice his mistake and let out a breath of whimper. If Jarvan noticed his armor tightening around his shoulders he did well to hide it.

"No need to be so afraid, boy." Xin Zhao reassured with a smile. "We are all friends here."

"Push." Ashton jumped at Shyvana's voice and looked directly at her. He quickly tried to avert his eyes but she made him hold her gaze. After all, it was polite to look at the person he was talking to. She nodded to his hands. "Don't pull, push the strap forward."

"Y-y-yes m-m-ma'a-am."

Fiora chuckled, glanced at Jarvan and then suggestively looked at her, "Of course _Shyvana_ would know."

Jarvan's face slightly turned red and Shyvana had to force herself from blushing. She took in a deep breath and folded her arms over her chest.

"What did you call us here for?" Xin Zhao asked, taking the question out of her mouth. Fiora chuckled softly again and then turned to the Prince. Shyvana was just glad somebody had changed the subject.

Jarvan rubbed his forehead and then leaned back as the first pauldron finally fell to the ground. It clattered and the sound echoed in the room. Their eyes, fixed on Jarvan a moment ago, shifted to the Squire who was, now, bright red and apologizing profusely.

"It's fine." Jarvan reassured and picked it up, placing it on the table. He turned to them and then straightened up. "There is something going on at the boarders of Demacia. I've had reports of mysterious attacks. I'm afraid it may be Noxus, I haven't had time to review reports."

"Should we be saying this in front of the boy?" Xin Zhao glanced at Ashton who was, again, red as a tomato. Jarvan only waved the question away.

"These attacks aren't secret but I want somebody to check it out."

Quinn leaned forward on the table and nodded. "Valor and I can check it out."

"We need to deal with the problem, not 'check it out'." Garen frowned and uncrossed his arms. "I can bring a small force to deal with the problem right away."

Jarvan shook his head. "I need you here, Garen. If anything breaks through I need you here to fight."

Luxana was the next to volunteer but the Prince shook his head in worries that she would be run over. She was strong but she was a glass canon, one wrong move and she would be dead.

"I'll take a look." Shyvana finally said before the other two could offer. "What do you need?"

The Prince looked at her a little skeptically but nodded. "Very well, Shyvana, just defend the wall, and if you do find the captain leading the forces, bring him back alive, we'll need to interrogate him."

"I'll prepare now." She stood promptly and was to leave, but Jarvan called her back.

"Try not to torch the whole Greenwood; it was my father's favorite forest."

Shyvana paused and smirked. "No promises," and then walked towards her room. She shut the door behind her when she arrived and walked straight to a stand that hung all her armor. It took little time for her to change. She removed all the decorated pieces from her body then placed her armor into place. Her fingers worked expertly on each strap. Her breastplate was first, then her pauldrons and then everything else.

Her gauntlets burned yellow gold and red when her fingers lit with flames. The idea that she had Noxus soldiers to attend to made her smile. But the thought that she would be tearing into their flesh made her grin widely.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Hello! It is the month of November and also the month of NanoWrimo! I'll be writing this for Nano and I will be trying to update regularly (everyday hopefully). I really hope you'll stick with me through this story, and hopefully I'll be done by the end of November - if not I will continue writing this!

Please review and subscribe if you're interested! Thanks so much!

xxxsc


	2. Chapter 2

**Rated T for Violence** read at your own discretion

Chapter 2

It was dark when she arrived and all that helped light the fort were the torches that were nailed to the walls. But it all made little difference to Shyvana who saw well in the dark anyways. She pounded on the large double wooden doors and immediately a voice answered her.

"Who goes there?"

"Demacian Elite Guard, Shyvana, the Half-Dragon." Her title was a mouthful and she hated saying it, but it always needed to be said or people in court just thought of her as a Pet Prince Jarvan liked to bring around.

She waved a flamed hand to show them that it was indeed truly her. The doors opened, after that. The sound was loud and almost terrifying. The wood creaked and as the heavy doors scraped the ground.

When she slipped inside a man greeted her immediately with a salute. "Ma'am, my name is Lieutenant Morgan."

The Lieutenant was young with brown curls framing his sharp featured face. He looked soldier who was no more than twenty-two years of age and it made Shyvana wonder how, on earth, he had been able to achieve Lieutenant status so quickly. He stood straight in front of her, his eyes unwavering as she studied him.

"Where is your commanding officer, Lieutenant?" she asked finally.

His reply came instantly. "Commander Schaefer's busy, but she heard of your coming. She's just swamped with reports, supply lists and patrol positions. She apologizes deeply but invites you to see her in her quarters at your earliest convenience."

She looked around, noticing the soldiers eating and working. Some of them sharpening their swords, some of them hammering dents out of their shields and some of them running drills. Many of them were injured with bandages wrapping their arms and legs and it was clear that some of the dressing were in clear desperate need of changing, but it seemed to matter little to the men and women.

Demacia had forged strong warriors indeed.

How bad is it?" Shyvana asked, her focus turning back to the Lieutenant. He cleared his throat and his jaw tightened.

"We've been hit the past two days. More so today than yesterday."

She could only imagine what the medical bay looked like now.

"How many dead, how many injured?"

"Sixty dead and over a hundred injured." he reported as he closely trailed behind her to the Commander's quarters. The numbers didn't look good. She glanced at the passing soldiers as they glanced back at her. Most of them looked relieved that she was here, some of them looked surprised.

Shyvana felt pity for the soldiers. But her pity would do little good for them if she couldn't help. The Lieutenant led her towards the Commander's quarters and the closer they got to the door the more apparent that it was just as the Lieutenant had described. Men and women, holding reports, analysis' were consistently coming and going like a never ending stream.

The two of them shifted through, dodging the couriers and messengers until she saw a woman hovering over a table. She looked different and there was a sort of different air about the woman. Unlike the other soldiers who wore silver, she wore a bronze set of armor with a long red cloak floating behind her when she decided to move from one side of the table to the other to respond to new reports and mark new positions.

The woman was quite efficient, she worked like flowing water, never stopping and never questioning herself. Shyvana watched as the commander scanned through multiple reports, gave their complimentary orders and then moved to the next set of reports. All at the same time writing their needed supplies.

"Commander Schaefer, Shyvana of the Elite Guard is here." The introduction from the Lieutenant brought the Commander out of her work trance as she looked up. Her eyes were sharp and piercing and if she was weary from the two days of battle she did well to hide it from her.

She quickly waved the reports to stop as she strode towards her, a grim smile on her face. "We've been expecting you, thank you for coming so quickly. I apologize for not being able to welcome you personally, but as you can see, it's quite the mess."

"What are the reports?"

Schaefer motioned vaguely to the map behind her and then returned to her original position, behind it. "These were the attacks that happened so far with no discernable patterns. There have been over ten attacks in the past two days and we've sent out multiple patrols to which three of them have gone missing." The commander pointed to a certain area of the Greenwood and jabbed her finger into the parchment. "That was their last known position before they disappeared."

Shyvana looked over the map carefully and the Commander continued, "I've pulled everyone back, I'm not risking another patrol." The missing Patrol was of little interest to her. Demacian soldiers knew what they were getting into when they were recruited, all she could hope for was their survival. But it was still curious that they would disappear in one area.

"When was the last attack?" Shyvana looked at the Commander as she thought for a moment.

"Four hours ago. They haven't even tried baiting us since then." The commander paused and took another report. She looked it over and then motioned them away. "They've been attacking every so hour, I think they wanted to soften us up, they might be winding up for the last blow."

That seemed like something likely. Shyvana pressed her lips together, looking at the messy table. The Commander was right, and there was little she could do. The troops had been pulled back. The most they _could_ do now was to brace for whatever was coming.

"We need to set up some look-outs, archers, and mages." Shyvana pointed at the towers. "If they haven't attacked this long, they should be here soon. Whatever happens I need the Cap-"

"Another report from a missing patrol!" One of the runners rushed to them waving a letter in his hand. The commander took the letter, read it and seemed to read it again when she looked at Shyvana, handing it to her.

"This is the Captain's writing." She turned back to the runner. "Where did you get this?"

"Carrier bird." The runner answered as Shyvana scanned through it. The letter was fake and it raised a lot of red flags. Something just didn't quite add up. Why send a letter now and not before? Surely they would know to send status updates.

"Ma'am?" Schaefer looked at her.

"Fake, I'm guessing the bird is was flying with fake Demacian colours." Shyvana muttered and handed the letter back, turning back to the Commander. "Good news is that this patrol may be alive. Bad news is that if we don't respond, they'll know we won't take the bait and they'll die."

Shyvana felt her jaw tighten. "The choice is yours."

There was silence, all eyes turning towards the Commander. She took in a deep breath, scanning the map with the small flags on it. She turned to Shyvana, her eyes unwavering when she answered, "We're getting them back, if it's all the same to you."

Shyvana nodded, her focus turning back towards the fake letter where it stated where they were. Personally, she disagreed with the decision but it was her battalion and it wasn't an entirely stupid decision.

"We know that it's a trap but what for?" Schaefer asked, slowly pacing as she received another report from a runner. She jotted down some notes and then continued.

"It's bait, most likely." Shyvana answered. "There would be no other need to lure you all the way out there."

"A double ambush," Schaefer noted. Her jaw tensed. "They think we would be leaving all our forces to rescue the team and while the fort is empty attack."

Shyvana looked at the Commander. She could see that she wanted to save the patrol almost desperately. She wasn't sure why but Shyvana wasn't there to discuss these details. Her job was to destroy the Noxus battalion that was pestering them, and to take the Captain for interrogation. Whatever method would work for her.

"I and two squads will stay here and the rest of you can go to the position and go into the trap. Make it seem that the fort is empty." Shyvana suggested to the Commander.

"You'll be alright here?"

"I will be alright. You need to choose who stays and who goes, however." A few pesky soldiers were not enough to slay her. And the thought of them even trying made her want to laugh. So many had claimed to be dragon slayers, and so many of them were liars.

Commander Schaefer paused to think, glancing around the tent, and then through the lists of patrols and Captains. She leaned over the table, took in a breath and then sent the runners off to get the Captains of the Patrols for a summoned meeting.

She kept pacing as she waited for all of them to show up and when they did she stopped. The Commanders straightened her back, her eyes steeled and her feet were planted firmly on the ground.

"We're going to grab Captain Hunter and his patrol or whatever may be left of them." Commander Schaefer told them. The Captains looked at each other with hopeful glances and then turned back to the Commander for the plan. "Shyvana, all of you should know her, or at least know of her. She will stay behind in the fort while we empty out." The Commander paused and looked around.

"We will be walking into a trap. Make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, we are being hunted, do not let your guard down."

She separated two patrols and motioned to Shyvana. "Ma'am, this is Captain Shorte and Captain Riley, they will be staying with you. They are one of my best Captains that I have, being that you will most likely be overrun, I hope they will be of use to you."

Shyvana noted the two standing a little further from the rest. Captain Shorte was anything but short, standing a whole head taller than she. He filled out his armor well, probably thanks to the training. He looked stoic and serious, his eyes steeled and determined. And Captain Riley was the same save for her slight fidgeting with her gauntlets.

Commander Schaefer continued to articulate the rest of the plan and when they were finally finished, they were all dismissed with their duties. The Fort was in a frenzy. All of them sprinted to the armory, their barracks to grab everything they needed. But in record time, she saw all of them fall back into their patrols, even in the somewhat dark.

"Are you all set-up?" The Commander pulled her mare by the reigns with one hand while the other held a torch. The horse snorted and pawed the ground uncomfortably. Horses never did quite like her. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I need the Captain." Shyvana told her, "If you come across the Captain, bring him back alive. The Prince says he wants a word with him."

Schaefer nodded. "I understand, anything else?"

"We have everything we need, we just need Noxus."

Schaefer gave a small smile and nodded. "Best of luck to you, Ma'am."

"You too. Be safe," Shyvana said curtly as the Commander mounted her horse. She gave a salute and then trotted off with the rest of her lieutenants behind her. Shyvana didn't wait for the gates to close to say what she needed of them.

"I want a set of eyes on the battlements and I want a set of eyes on the towers, Mages and Archers." Shyvana said. The Captains nodded and barked out their orders and then turned back to her. "Everyone else will need to brace."

Riley looked at her intently, brushing some of her stray hair out of her face. "And where will you be, Ma'am?"

Shyvana didn't have to think long for her response, "The North Wall."

The north wall was the weakest and if Noxus knew anything about this fort then this would be the most likely place for them to attack. But if they didn't, it was the best place for her to be to listen to where the oncoming attack would be.

And if she was right, the oncoming attack would be soon.

* * *

Author's note

Hope you guys liked this chapter, I'm just about done the exposition and I'll be soon getting into the meat of the story. Hang tight and I'll see you guys in the next chapter!

Review and follow if you like :)

xxxsc


	3. Chapter 3

**Rated T for Violence** read at your own discretion

Chapter 3

It didn't take long for them to come. Shyvana could smell them from a mile away. It was a foul smell of dried blood and rotting carcasses.

She walked the battlements, her eyes scanning the Greenwood. To the common eye they would have seen little to nothing but she could see them, mages, assassins and soldiers alike, massing towards the North Wall. More than she expected to come.

"We have company." she murmured and then in a louder voice, "Brace for an attack on the North Wall!"

The two Captains ran towards her. "Orders, Ma'am?"

"Captain Shorte, you will rally your men in the castle, ready for ladders. Captain Riley, ready your archers and mages. Fortify the wall." She looked at them as they both nodded and disappeared to their positions, barking their orders and doing as she asked.

She could see the Noxians and their cruel looking blades and spears. She scanned their ranks, seeing if she pick out the Captain, but there was no such luck. Shyana snarled.

"Save the Captain if you see him." Shyvana shouted and nodded to the female Captain as she raised her hand.

"Archers at the ready!"

There was silence for a moment. Shyvana closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as per her usual custom.

For Demacia, she thought quietly. For the Prince, not one will pass. "I have proved myself to dragon kind – what challenge will humans pose?" A smirk spread over her features as the first of the arrows were fired. Shyvana let the Captains work as she stood in the middle of the fort.

"Ladders!" One of the archers shouted.

Shyvana knelt and dug her hands into the soft ground. Not one will pass, Demacia will triumph.

Flames erupted over her body. It was only in a blink of an eye that she was a dragon. She felt her muscles ripple beneath her, the flame stirring inside of her belly and the power surging from her body.

And as the first of Noxian soldiers broke through she gave a first flap, a second and with her third, she jumped into the sky. She let out a deafening roar and with her claws outstretched she snatched up the soldiers flew high and tossed them. There were cheers as she breathed fire and as the Noxians' flesh melted from their bones. She reveled in their screams.

The fort was being almost overrun. She landed and whipped her tail, she stomped ground her claws crushing the Noxians under her.

Shyvana grunted feeling a Noxian soldier try to climb onto her back. She snarled at him and threw him off her hand coming quickly down on him with a crunch. In a quick motion she whipped her tail across the field and stretched her neck and caught a body in her jaws. When he was torn she spat the two parts out.

It moments she took to the air, her claws gripping some of the Noxian soldiers and tossing them into the trees. And when she landed she roared and whipped her tail.

She could feel blades trying to split her scales and the magic poked her like shocks. She growled, annoyance boiling over her gut.

Fire escaped her jaw as she snapped her jaw, splitting a few soldiers in half.

She charged through the ranks, whipping her tail and pounding through the Noxian forces. It was until she felt something binding her. She hissed and fought her feet being anchored down. She violently pulled on her invisible restraints.

"You dare restrain _me_?" She narrowed down her eyes.

"Ma'am!" One of the mages ran to her. She fired off a few shots to disrupt the magic but it didn't work. Shyvana growled and knocked back those who were trying to get to her. And from the corner of her eyes she saw a soldier, he was different. While the other soldiers had armor he had a red cloak fluttering lazily behind him as he cautiously walked towards her.

She hissed, "You must be the Captain."

"I am." He stood before her rather arrogantly, his chest puffed out, his hand gripping a rather large sword. He wore no helmet and had brought no shield.

She gave him a toothy grin. "Think yourself a dragon slayer?"

"After this, I will be," he smirked. "Perhaps I will mount your head on my wall. It will make for good decoration."

Shyvana laughed loudly and hissed her reply, "One step at a time Captain, first you must defeat me in order for you to be a dragon slayer, so why don't you try your _luck_?"

"It would be my pleasure," he answered and her grin widened. He charged at her, and she slammed into the binding as she slammed her claws into his blade. It was easy to crush him but there was something coating his blade that made it sharper. She hissed and knocked him over.

She glanced down at her arm and saw the blood dripping. Shyvana narrowed down her eyes and then snapped her jaws and swiped her claws but he always seemed to be seconds faster that her.

"Is this how strong Demacia is? You are weak and you are going to by my trophy, Shyvana." he sneered and laughed.

"Unbind me." she hissed. "And I shall show you how fragile humans are."

"I think not. I will slay you here." He raised her blade and just as she was to transform back into her human form she felt the last of her binding loosen. The man raised his blade and she reared up and slammed her claws down.

She felt the dirt crack beneath her as she saw the man staggered back. It took every ounce of will power for her not to chew him up alive.

"You might be here to kill me, but I am not." she ground her teeth together as she jumped into the air and took flight. She circled, her eye glaring down at her target before she dived. Moments before she could hit the ground, she shifted her position and snatched him from the battlefield. There was a shriek that was very uncharacteristic of the once arrogant captain.

She turned her head, and not too far she saw Commander Schaefer and their missing patrol with them. She roared loudly, hissing fire from her nostrils as she scanned the battlefield for one of the Demacian Captains.

When she found Captain Shorte she landed, on his opponent. The man looked shocked and terrified for a moment. "Commander Schaefer is returning soon with your reinforcements. The battle is won and my work is done here. Well done, Captain."

She didn't wait for his response, instead she whipped his tail and snapped at his next opponent and took flight towards Hall of Vigilence.

When she took off again the once arrogant captain shrieked. She clutched tightly onto the Captain as he thrashed and so when she landed she took little care in doing so. The Captain slammed into the hard marble floor. She could hear the screams of the council members.

"Bring me the Prince." she growled.

* * *

Author's note

Chapter three is a day late, my apologies! School work must take priorities, unfortunately. Thank you for being patient and please review and subscribe.

I do apologize for mistakes that were overlooked or some inconsistencies with story and plot but I am trying to pound out a chapter a day so please excuse those inconsistencies. Other than that, thank you so much for reading!

Until next time!

xxxsc


	4. Chapter 4

**Rated T for Violence** read at your own discretion

Chapter 4

Jarvan appeared in seconds. Screaming council members did that to him, she didn't even understand why they were even here. There must have been late night meetings.

They stared at her, wide eyes on the verge of running. And the fact that she had a writhing man trapped in her claw, and she was bleeding black blood all over the hall was probably not helping their fear.

Garen and Fiora joined the Prince, lightly jogging towards her. "Are you alright?" Fiora analyzed her arm. It was still dark so the torches were the only thing that was lighting her injury, which probably made it look worse than it was.

She looked at the rather large crowd she had drawn and wanted to laugh but instead she answered, "I'm fine, it's better than it looks." She picked up the writhing man and showed them to the audience that had come. "I have the Captain."

On cue, he whined and groaned and she slammed him down into the ground to silence the annoying sounds coming from him. Jarvan held up his hand and chuckled grimly.

"Gentle now, we still need him alive so we can interrogate him."

Shyvana loosened her hold, "He's still alive, what does it matter that I hurt him a little? I may have already loosened his tongue." She then turned to Garen and paused for a moment. "The force has been taken care of however please send a company to the fort. They might need some rebuilding."

Both Garen and Jarvan asked at the same time with the same narrowed eyes, "Rebuilding?"

She had been inside the fort and some of her flame would have damaged the wall. She might have scaled the wall as she fought. And she might have dropped soldiers from the air. In a way she felt a little sheepish but she answered nonetheless as she usually did with her face straight and her eyes steeled.

"You said you keep clear the Greenwood, I did. The fort might need some repair, however."

Garen looked weary. "Very well, the fort will be repaired by-" he looked at the sun rising. "Sun-down. Now I take my leave, Milord."

The duelist chuckled as the guards surrounded her. She loosened her hold and handed him over to the guards before she was human again. It was another flash of fire.

A sharp stinging pain flew up her body and she slumped over, wincing. Her hand flew to her arm in a feeble attempt to aid it and stop the bleeding, but the blood seeped through her fingers. The treated blade must have sliced deeper than she thought. Jarvan rushed to her but she roughly waved him away. Blood continued to run down her arm, dripping from the tips of her fingers like a never ending stream.

The Caretakers were already on scene to clean the blood.

"I'm fine." She reassured them, but the two were unconvinced. She could see it in their faces.

"Shyvana, you need help." Fiora protested when she waved her away as well.

It wouldn't take her too long to heal. She just needed to treat it first and she had just the equipment in her room. Human herbs were of little effective use to her. Her father had taught her where to get medicines that worked better for dragons. They were a pain to get but they worked much better, like her father had promised.

"I take my leave." She gave a small bow and stared to walk to her room but the Prince seemed to have different ideas. He gripped her shoulder with one hand and with the other detached his blue cloak from his back.

She knew all too well what came next and she tried to stop him but the Prince was already determined to help her. "There is really no need for theatrics here, Prince." she warned but she was too late.

"No, you're injured. We need to at least bandage it." He flicked out a knife. She looked at Fiora who was smiling a little too widely for her liking. Shyvana narrowed her eyes and Jarvan cut a thick strip. "The League will be anything but pleased by Noxus' actions." He was attempting to change the subject awkwardly and it was not working.

Shyvana frowned. She could feel the eyes of everybody in the hall just staring and it made her want to hide. "I don't think the League is ever pleased by anything that is not under their control." She muttered feeling her face heat up. He would always do stupid things like this to show his affections and more often than not, it made her so red.

As he went to take her arm, she moved back, grabbed the fabric from his hand and bandaged her arm herself. He looked a little shocked as she wrapped her arm with the cloth a few times and then tied a knot with her one had and her teeth. Fast, efficient with _much less_ theatrics and _much less_ people staring.

"Thank you I take my leave," she said curtly and bowed one last time and this time she strode as quickly as she could to her room. She could hear Fiora laughing at Jarvan's face.

"That poor girl." Shyvana heard her say. Her face seemed to heat up all the more and the heat continued to persist until she was safely in her room.

After that she was calm enough to rummage through her herbs. She ground up the leaves, added some water into it and then mixed it all together. The smell of the dragon herbs stung her nose and left a bitter taste in her mouth. But when she was finished she walked to her basin of water and unwrapped the binding.

She cleaned her wound, with the cold water and it made her wince. She hissed but continued to wash the angry cut, tinting the water black. Her skin was inflamed and angry and she could feel the heat of her arm as blood rushed out.

When she deemed it clean enough she pressed her herbs to her wound. The stinging made her knees buckle, she hissed. There was nothing worse than herbs in a wound. Her father always told her she would get used to it, but it had been years and still, she hated treating her wounds more than anything.

Shyvana held the mush tightly to her arm until the bleeding stopped. And then, with care she stitched it. Her skin felt more and more numb the more she pierced her skin. She hissed and cursed under her breath.

She tied the last knot and then fell back onto her chair, exhaling a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Stitching her own wound took more out of her than a whole battle did. She glanced at her arm, the healers would have sneered at how horrible the job was done but it was tight enough, for her anyways.

Shyvana carefully took the fresh bandages and bound her arm, knotting it with her free hand and her teeth again.

Less stares, less drama, she repeated in her mind and then started to unbuckle her pauldrons and her armor, lazily tossing them to the side. She carefully slid into her Demacian robes and leaned back onto her chair, her arms lay lazily at her side and her legs slid out in front of her.

A moment to breathe, she thought. There were so little of those.

It was always back and forth between her and the league. If she wasn't being summoned there she was being summoned at court. And if she wasn't dealing with the stingy, disgusting Noxians, she was dealing with stingy, disgusting diplomats who treated her more like an animal than a person.

She never would have thought she would be here, in all her life. But at the same time, there wasn't a place she would rather be; by the Prince, fighting at his side because after all, her life was indebted to him. She could not think of a person more honorable to serve.

If her father saw her now, she wondered what he would think.

 _Humans._ He would scoff. She chuckled at the thought and made her way to her bed. She flopped upon it and shifted under the covers.

A cool breeze brushed her skin as it entered the room and for a moment she felt her heart totally at ease. A lazy laugh escaped her, breathy and tired and then she was asleep.

It had been a day, of sorts.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

Thank you for reading! I hope this chapter was enjoyable. And please I would love to hear what you think. Again i do apologize for any inconsistencies, grammar and spelling mistakes I may have overlooked.

Review and favourite!

xxxsc


	5. Chapter 5

**Son of Zebedee:** Thank you for reviewing! I couldn't agree more with you. But I needed a chapter to get out that day so I didn't have time to iron out details (i'm doing this for nano so the first one had to get out asap). But as soon as I can, I will change that! Thank you once again!

 **Guest:** Delicious chapter? Ha ha ha, thank you very much!

 **AgNO3:** Thank you for reviewing! Well, I am using both and I kind of imagine her to be a hybrid of the two splash-arts. The first spash-art is awesome, at the same time the second one offers a little more detail.

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Chapter 5

Shyvana's eyes snapped open at the sound of somebody pounding at her door. Sleep clung to her as she propped herself up on her elbows. She rubbed her eyes as the door pounded for her again. She groaned and her teeth clenched tightly together. Loud sounds in the morning were very much discouraged around her.

"Enter."

She didn't even finish the word when soldier burst into her room, fidgety and nervous. He looked at her with his hand clutching the hilt of his sword as if his life depended on it. He was rather spindly looking and familiar.

"M-ma'am."

It was Jarvan's Squire, Ashton, she recognized him right away after he spoke. The stutter was what gave him away. She yawned and awaited whatever news he was to deliver but when he said nothing her patience quickly disappeared.

"Do you have a tongue? Speak!" she snapped at him.

He flinched and then replied in his own stuttering kind of way, "M-m-ma-a'am you h-have been s-s-ummo-oned t-to c-court."

"Court?"

Ashton nodded, hesitated and then answered, "Y-y-yes C-court, Ma'am you've been s-summoned." he repeated. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Could the boy not say a single sentence without stuttering his way through? If he was going to work with the Prince, he was going to need to be more articulate.

And what was this business about court? It was too early in the morning, she hadn't even eaten breakfast and she was already expected at court?

"What for?" Had there been a meeting she had missed? Or was there something she had to do but forgotten? She didn't expect him to know the boy looked like he knew next to noth-

"S-s-omeb-body is a-ac-ccusing you of murder, ma'am."

"Murder?" She scoffed. The other day she had slaughtered more than a hundred men. Was some Noxian crawling to the Demacian court for their dead soldier? The idea made her want to laugh.

"Of who?"

"I don't know, ma'am, some man from Shurima. He says you destroyed his whole village."

"What?" The information didn't quite seem to sink in. She had to repeat it to herself and even then what the squire was saying was ridiculous. And he began to repeat his report but she interrupted his stuttering sentences which were now, testing her already waned patience. "Just get out." She hissed.

Destroying a whole village? She had never even stepped foot in Shurima. The only people she had ever murdered were the people of Noxus and she had happily ripped through their flesh.

"A-are you c-c-oming, ma'am?"

She looked at him, still standing there after she had told him to leave. She shot him a glare and pointed at the door. "Give me a moment! Do you expect me to show up in court like this?"

The squire moved with purpose after, showing himself out of her room. When he was gone she quickly slipped out of her bed and changed into her robes. She cleaned her appearance and then as she rushed out of her room, fiddling and adding the last of her golden accessories to her horns.

It was a wonder why they had made her wear all these things. They told her it made her look less like an animal. They were lucky that Jarvan was there to stop her from snapping their necks.

She was surprised to see two Demacian Crown guards expecting her. They were Jarvan's personal guard coming to collect her.

"We're here to escort you, milady." One of them said.

She walked past them and strode to the throne room. Jarvan didn't really expect her to have destroyed a village did he? No, he didn't he would have arrested her and not escorted her. Questions swam around her mind but she pushed them to the side.

Her curiosity would soon be sated, she reassured herself as the Crown guards opened the door for her and walked her inside of the room. There was a small crowd in the room and there, in the center, stood a man, short, thin and glaring at her.

Jarvan was not so far as he was seated on the throne with his elbows leaned on his knees, a skeptical and weary look on his face. The guards stood her a few meters from the man and then rejoined the Prince's side. She looked at the man again and then back at the Prince.

"I understand I've been accused of murder." she said. Shyvana could hear the murmurs of the crowd around her, some of them scorning her while others sympathized.

It mattered little what they thought because she knew what she had done and not had done. But at the moment she was irritated and in a foul mood for being awoken before she had intended to.

"You will pay for what you have done, _dragon._ " the man next to her hissed and then in a louder voice, pointed a shaking, accusing finger at her. "Arrest her now! She will destroy you all!"

Shyvana looked at him silently. His eyes were wide with fury, he was clearly delirious. She had no idea what she was talking about and by the state of him she was sure she wouldn't be getting many answers from him. These kinds of people were not people you got information from because they were more likely loop their words than say anything useful.

"Calm down." Jarvan pinched the bridge of his nose and took in a deep breath. He turned to her and the said, "this man, has accused you of murder, we're here to ask a few questions."

"Not. Questions, arrest her!" the man snapped at him. "She is the one who destroyed our village! She's a _dragon_ are you blind?"

One of the Crown guards growled a warning to which Jarvan waved away. "We know she is a dragon, we are quite clear on that fact, Raia."

"Then arrest her!"

Jarvan ignored his request and instead changed the subject. "Why don't you start with your story?"

The man looked tired and irritated by Jarvan's question but he answered it nonetheless. He glared at her and then started his tale. "A week and three days ago my village was preparing for the festival. It was my daughter's birthday, you see. We were in mid celebration when there was a strong gust of wind that was unnatural to the deserts of Shurima unless there's a sand storm.

We looked up to see the skies clear but it was when he saw her. She roared as breathed fire upon us. She trapped many in their homes as they burned down. So many people were killed that day, burned to ashes, eaten and torn apart. My daughter who had just turned five is now gone, because of her!"

He pointed again to her. "Because of her, I will never see my daughter again!"

She looked at him, feeling sympathy for him. It must have been hard to lose his daughter and his village but at the same time she had done nothing. The fact that he was constantly blaming made her more irritated.

Jarvan nodded and then vaguely motioned to her after a brief period of silence. "Well, Shyvana, where would you have been, a week and three days ago?"

The question was ridiculous to think she would be able to recall a day on a drop of a hat. But she did her best anyway. She closed her eyes and then took in a weary breath.

When she opened her eyes she was no clearer on what she had been doing or where she would have gone. Her past week seemed to blur together into one picture. She only had an inkling of an idea of what she had done. It was going to have to be enough.

"I was resting from a match I had the other day." She finally managed.

"Did anyone see you that day that can place you there?" Jarvan asked.

"No." she answered honestly, the man beside her seemed to jump on the chance but she interrupted him with a glare. "I didn't want to be interrupted, it was a hard match against Noxus. We won. That's how I remember."

One of the Dukes pushed to the front. "What about the next day?"

"Duke, please I will be doing the questioning here." Jarvan straightened up at the interruption.

"Your highness, with all due respect, you are close with the subject in question. I imagine you would want a fair trial for the man?" He bowed courteously. Jarvan shot her a rather helpless look and then nodded for him to continue.

She glanced at the man who was waiting for her answer with cold eyes. His hands were gripped into tight fists.

"Milady Shyvana, your answer then?" the duke asked.

She growled under her breath. It was no secret that the Duke hated her. And the fact that he was stepping in defense of the man proved all the more that he wanted her out because he didn't want filthy creatures contaminating the light that was Demacia.

"I was here. I was overseeing some work on the harvest and then I went to look over some reports to the outposts."

"Did anyone see you then?" The Duke questioned his finger tapping curiously on his chin and then touched his beard. "Can anybody place you at any of those locations?"

"People tend to prefer if I watched from a distance because I make them nervous. I didn't want to interrupt the harvesters if all I was doing was ensuring their safety."

There were murmurs from the crowd. She could smell their suspicions of her and their fear slowly rising. It didn't take a genius to see that she was not winning this conversation and that she was not convincing anybody that she was not there at the crime but she was not going to lie.

Shyvana saw a smirk slipped across his features quickly. "So no one can place you for two days, Milady? Isn't that suspicious?"

"I do not deny that. But I have a question: what would my purpose me for attacking a village? I have no need to travel to Shurima." She looked at the man and then at the Duke. The man narrowed his eyes and the Duke stepped from his position.

"Dear traveler, what would you think the reason would be?" he asked.

There was silence. "I don't know. I don't know why she would do such a thing. We were celebrating my daughter and then she…" He trailed off and gritted his teeth. "It doesn't matter why she did it, I don't care. She just needs to pay for what she's done!"

She was silent after that. Her jaw tightened out of annoyance. Dealing with a man who was delirious and was accusing her of murder, she might as well be digging her own grave.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" The Duke asked, mocking her with his gentleness and his curiosity in his voice. She stared at him, he wanted to her to break down to do something, cry do something that would make her look weak but the Duke should know better.

Instead Shyvana didn't answer and pressed her lips into a thin line. And after a moment of silence she answered, "You have already accused me of murder. Anything I say will do little to persuade you otherwise."

"You're right. Because you did it!" He shouted, his voice resounded through the hall as he marched towards her.

She was silent again, looking at Jarvan who looked weary and annoyed. There wasn't anything else to be said. "I didn't do it."

The man shook his head, his brow knitting down. She didn't know anybody's face that was more annoying than his as of this moment. She wanted nothing more than to bite his head off so that she could just go back to bed.

"You lie!" he pointed the Duke raised his hand to speak but the man was persistent. "You're lying! Tell them what you've done! Tell them now, _dragon_! Tell them how you ate our children, how you tore apart everything!"

She narrowed her eyes. This had been the third time he had referenced that she had been a dragon. Clearly he was angry that a dragon had destroyed his village but now he was just pointing at a finger at any available dragon he could find – and unfortunately that was her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her tone turned acidic feeling the little sympathies she had for the man, disappear.

"I saw you, my whole village saw you – you were at my village!"

"Have you ever considered," she started through gritted teeth. "That there are other dragons that are not me?"

Raia was quiet for moment and then shook his head in a way that she was sure he would shake the brain out of his ears, if it hadn't left already. "No, no, there are no others." he said quietly but it quickly picked up in pitch and volume. "There is just you, stop trying to blame somebody else!"

Shyvana opened her mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted. "Turn into a dragon!" He demanded.

"That will prove nothing." She shot back. They were speaking in circles. She looked around the room, at the advisors, Jarvan and then at the man. "I tire of this conversation. Unless you have evidence, I will take my leave."

"Evidence?" He man hissed at her. "Do you want to see my dead children? Would that be enough _evidence_ for you?"

Jarvan finally held up his hand and stood. The whole room grew silent. "That's enough." His voice rang through the halls. "Raia, I'm sorry about your village and you have my condolences however-

"I don't want your condolences! I want justice! I want-"

"Silent! You insolent worm, you are addressing the Prince who has taken his time to hear your case. Know you place _peasant_." One of the crown guards hissed his warning again. Jarvan eased the guard back, thanked him and then continued.

"However, if you want a case, you need evidence. Hard evidence, and not just your destruction of your village, that will implement her."

"She is a dragon!" He exclaimed. "Your highness, she is the only dragon!"

Shyvana looked at him with pitiful eyes. It was clear that he was not listening and was obviously not looking for the truth. He wanted her dead because of her dragon blood.

"We _know_ she's a dragon." Jarvan answered, "But that cannot be the only piece of evidence you can have to bring against her. Do you have anything else?"

He was silent and then begrudgingly grunted, "No."

"Then," the prince sighed and dismissed the court. "This case is dismissed."

Shyvana turned but found a hand gripping onto her arm as she turned to leave. When she turned she wasn't surprised to see Raia gripping onto her arm like he was trying to pull it off of her.

"You will pay for this, _dragon_. I will avenge my village, if it is the last thing I do." His eyes were red and steeled against her. He was out for her blood and nothing was going to deter him for this course. She glared at him. Clearly, he was out for her blood and nothing was going to deter him for this course.

She ripped her hand away in a swift motion and brushed past him without another word. He wasn't scary, but the determination in his eyes was. The last time she saw somebody so haunted with blood lust was when she faced the drake so long ago. She would need to be careful now.

Shyvana gave the court one last glance. There were those who would work against her to see her banished from Demacia and if she made one wrong misstep their dreams would come true.

* * *

 **Author's notes**

Sorry for not updating but there was a lot to be done this weekend and I had to do that (ugh school). Thank you for those who reviewed! I will do my very best to keep improving.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, nonetheless :)

Review and favourite

xxxsc


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